About St. Peter · Carencro, Louisiana
St. Peter Catholic Church (French: Saint Pierre) is a historic Catholic parish in Carencro, Louisiana, founded in 1874 by Archbishop Napoleon Joseph Perche of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and now part of the Diocese of Lafayette. The current church building — the fifth to stand on the site — was erected in 1904 and given its distinctive interior style under Msgr. A. M. Wassler in 1947. The parish sponsors Carencro Catholic School (originally St. Pierre School) and offers daily Mass, a perpetual-style adoration schedule, a richly detailed set of devotional traditions including wooden crosses from Pope Pius XII, and a men's faith program called 'That Man is You!'.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- Saint Peter the Apostle (rendered 'Saint Pierre' in French)
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher Cambre
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana (founded 1918; the parish was originally created in 1874 as part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans)
Why belong here
St. Peter offers a robust daily Mass schedule (six days a week plus a Saturday Vigil and Sunday obligation), weekly Confession before every Mass, and special First Friday and First Saturday Masses with adoration. The parish runs 'That Man is You!' — an interactive men's faith and fellowship program — provides a free parish-wide FORMED digital subscription for faith formation at home, and operates Carencro Catholic School, giving families a fully Catholic K-8 education on the same campus. Distinctive devotional heritage — including wooden crosses sent personally by Pope Pius XII granting a plenary indulgence to those who pray the Stations of the Cross here — makes St. Peter a parish where 150 years of Acadian Catholic tradition is still actively lived.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before ALL weekday and weekend Masses (parish website)
- Monday 11:30-11:55 AM
- Tuesday 6:00-6:25 AM
- Wednesday 6:00-6:25 AM
- Thursday 6:00-6:25 AM
- Friday 11:30-11:55 AM
- Saturday 3:30-3:55 PM
- Sunday 7:30-7:55 AM (before 8 AM Mass)
- Sunday 9:30-9:55 AM (before 10 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- First Friday: 11:00 AM (followed by 8:00 AM First Friday Mass)
- First Saturday: 7:00 AM (followed by 8:00 AM First Saturday Mass)
- Adoration Chapel (blessed June 2018) — perpetual-style schedule as posted on the parish
Parish History
St. Peter Catholic Church was created in 1874 by Archbishop Napoleon Joseph Perche of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, with Rev. Father A. J. M. Guillot as the founding pastor. The parish was placed under the patronage of 'Saint Pierre' — French for Saint Peter — at the suggestion of Mr. Pierre Cormier, who donated the original land. After roughly three arpents of the Cormier donation were swapped with Hermose Begnaud Coussan, the parish site was established where it remains today.
The Church Building
The present church is the fifth to stand on the parish site. Two earlier buildings were destroyed by fire and two by storms. Erected in 1904, the building was given its current distinctive interior style by Msgr. A. M. Wassler in 1947, and was further renovated under Father Mark Ledoux, whose June 2018 Mass of Thanksgiving with Bishop Douglas Deshotel marked the completion of the project and the blessing of a new Adoration Chapel.
- Main Altar
- Altar Rail
- Baptismal Chapel
- Paintings
- Pew Ends (with painted coats of arms — see 'The People in the Pews' gallery)
- Stained Glass Windows
- Ceiling Beams
- Church Bells (the 1893 'Francis-Fabien-Pierre' bell and electronic bell system)
- Stations of the Cross (with the Pius XII crosses)
The Stations of the Cross and the Pius XII Crosses
One of the most distinctive devotional features of St. Peter is found beneath each of the indoor Stations of the Cross: small wooden crosses personally sent by Pope Pius XII. During World War II, parishioners who could no longer make pilgrimage to the Holy Land petitioned the pope for a substitute. He responded by sending these crosses and declaring that, as long as they remain, those who pray the Stations of the Cross at St. Peter may still gain the plenary indulgence attached to the devotion in Jerusalem.
The Pipe Organ
Installed in 1966, the parish's pipe organ is a fifteen-rank electropneumatic instrument built in German Baroque style by American organ architect Otto Hoffman. The components were purchased in southern Germany. Two other Hoffman organs are in the region — one at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Lafayette and another at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville.
Church Bells
The large bell in the belfry was obtained in 1893 and named 'Francis-Fabien-Pierre' — for Archbishop Francis Janssens (then of New Orleans, before the Diocese of Lafayette was erected), Father Fabien Laforet (then pastor), and Mr. Pierre Cormier (donor of the property). It was cast by the H. Struckstede Bell Foundry Co. of St. Louis, Missouri on May 18, 1893. A set of four electronic bells from Versailles, France was blended to its tone; after a 1994 lightning strike damaged the system, a Mass-Rowe electronic bell system using the existing true bronze bells and compact-disc digital recordings was installed in early 1995 to ring the hour, the Angelus, the call to Mass, and traditional hymns.
Faith Formation & Ministries
Beyond the sacraments, St. Peter runs the 'That Man is You!' men's program (interactive, with food, fellowship, and faith — meeting Fridays at 5:30 AM) and offers every parishioner a free subscription to FORMED, the Catholic digital platform with over 4,000 video and audio titles for children, teens, and adults. The parish employs a Parish Faith Formation Coordinator and a Youth Assistant to support sacramental preparation and youth ministry.
- That Man is You! men's program
- FORMED digital platform (free for parishioners)
- Parish Faith Formation Coordinator (part-time staff)
- Youth Assistant (part-time staff)
- Music Ministry (serves weekly school and parish Masses)
- Altar Server Ministry
Carencro Catholic School
The parish's school ministry goes back to 1897, when Father A. B. Laforet brought the Carmelite Sisters of the Order of Mount Carmel to Carencro and opened St. Anne's Convent School. After the Carmelites, Msgr. A. M. Wassler opened St. Pierre School ('Pierre' being 'Peter' in French) in 1963. Today the school continues as Carencro Catholic School, located at 200 West St. Peter Street, serving the children of the parish and the wider community. The school crest features a chalice with an upside-down cross — a direct reference to St. Peter, who was crucified upside down.
- Carencro Catholic School — 200 West St. Peter Street, Carencro, LA 70520 — (337) 896-8973
- Roots in St. Anne's Convent School (1897, Carmelite Sisters)
- St. Pierre School opened by Msgr. Wassler in 1963
- Music Ministry serves weekly school Masses
- Weekly Rosary Group on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 AM
- Living Rosary in October and May
- Weekly Way of the Cross during Lent
- Blessing of the Pets (Feast of St. Francis) and Blessing of the Throat (Feast of St. Blaise)
- Donations to Carencro Food Pantry and community shelters
- Confirmation (8th grade) celebrated at St. Peter Catholic Church
Contact, Office & Visiting
The parish office (102A N. Church St.) is open Monday-Tuesday-Thursday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and on Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon. The mailing address is P.O. Box 40, Carencro, LA 70520. Package deliveries are directed to park on Church Street — trucks are not allowed on driveways or in the parking lot. From I-49, take Exit 4 (Carencro Exit), turn onto Church Street, and continue approximately 4-5 blocks; the church is on the left.
- Phone: (337) 896-9408
- Fax: (337) 896-9414
- Email: [email protected]
- Church address: 102 N. Church St., Carencro, LA 70520
- Office address: 102A N. Church St., Carencro, LA 70520
- Website: https://sprcc.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father A. J. M. Guillot1874-1877
First pastor of the parish
- Rev. Father J. F. Suriray1877-1880
- Rev. Father M. Welte1883-1892
- Rev. Father F. A. B. Laforet1893-1899
Brought the Carmelite Sisters to Carencro in 1897 and opened St. Anne's Convent School
- Rev. Father F. J. Grimaud1899-1920
- Rev. Father D. Sarazin1920-1923
- Rev. Father J. P. Ferret1923-1936
- Very Rev. A. Canon Viel1936-1947
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. A. M. Wassler1947-1968
Renovated the 1904 church into its present distinctive style; opened St. Pierre School in 1963
- Rev. Father R. D. Edwards1968-1991
Served as co-pastor with Fr. Nunez from 1983-1991
- Rev. Father A. G. Nunez1983-1994
Co-pastor with Fr. Edwards 1983-1991
- Rev. Father Gregory Downs1994-2000
- Rev. Father Bill J. Melancon2000-2011
- Rev. Father Mark Ledoux2011-2023
Oversaw the major church renovation and new Adoration Chapel; celebrated the parish's 150th anniversary era
- Rev. Christopher Cambre2023-present
Current pastor (listed on the Diocese of Lafayette priest directory)